The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-01-30

opera. 1t was sung with sweet pathos
but the opponents to proposed encore
prevailed. The cello and wood vino
instruments made somewhat effective
accompaniment.
Soon enters the wicked baronet, who
is cursed by chorus of bucks and
blades in rich uniforms, actually repre-
sentlng twenty English regiments, ard
OF brldemaids. These certainly made a
pretty stage picture, but not an original
one, yet better than the dragons and
maidens in Patience. The baronet
puts, line by line, conundrums to the
chorus, who answer in lines of two
syllables, which'effect was evidently not
regarded warmly by the audience. 1t
| woke up, however, TO a madrigal par
ticlpated IN by the soldiers, the bride
maids and the Misses Brandron and
| Braham, which is not as fine as the
Mikado madrigal, and unlike that it
was not encored. This was preceded by
a gaVotte, which, of course, was grace
fully danced by Grossmith and the
ladies' and "a serving man, played by
Rudolph Lewis.
THE PICTURE GALLERY.
E The. second and last act occurs in
such picture gallery as one sees in the
school for Scandal" This contains
full-length portraits of twenty wicked
baronets. The act opens with duet
between Grossmith, now come into his
estate and title, doomed to daily crime,
and his servant, which was not mu-
seal success, although Grossmith's
antics and facial play doubtless pleased
the audience. Another duetifor tenor
and soprano and a ballad by the so
prano had but slight effect.
AS all but Grossmith exeunt, the
stage and auditorium became so dark
that Sullivan had an electric light at the
end of his baton to guide the orchestra,
and the musicians 6im-shaded Jets over
the score. For two minutes the orches-
ira play descriptive dramatic music,
approaching grand opera, and suggest
ing what, if Sir Arthur should ever try
that, he can do.
STEPPED FROM THE FRAMES.
Next the baronets, as the light lifts,
are seen to step out of their frames,
each in different historical costumes
One baronet, the capital basso, the late
Mikado (Temple), sings a duet with
Grossmith, and the others the chorus
to refrain:
Ha, Ha, the dead OF the nights high noon.
This, with Mad 9Margaret's scene
was the only point which at all greatly
took hold Of the audience, and the
music, without exactly initiating Wag
ner, decidedly apprOac4 es his school in
effect. Presently Grossmith convinces
the Baronets they vainly died, wearied
of crime, by committing suicide, be
cause that is the worst crime of all,
therefore they are all alive. So they
agree to continue alive until the finale.
Mad Margaret RECEIVERS her senses and
marries the eX-bad baronet, all of
which makes the chorus of bridesmaids
happy, and a patter duet and ballad by
the contralto lead p to the final choru
which is far from impressive, the words
being such doggerel as this:
For happy the lily that's kissed by the bee,
And slipping tranquility quite happy is he,
And happy the illy that neighs in her pride,
But happier than any
pound to penny,
A lover is when he embraces his bride.
DAMNED WITH FAINT PRAISE.
During the performance there was
much kissing, mainly, perhaps, because
of the exuberant applause from the
friendly audience, but at the close the
kissing, with cries of "MikadoW Mi
kado" waged a fair battle with the
plaudits. Of course Gilbert, Sullivan,
DOyly Carte and all the performers
received an ovation at the end.
On mingling with the departing audi
ence, found there was a general feel
ing of disappointment, yet some as
serted that this was the best of the ser
les of operas, while others remarked on
the.great falling off in libretto and mu-
sic. If finally successful, Ruddygore |
will be found so because OF the excel
lent acting, rich, tasteful costumes, and
the ancestral scene
took occasion during the long wait |
between the acts to poll the pittites, and |
also as was going out. These almost
uperring critics of London successes
and good dramatic barometers were |
in their disappointment. !
Certainly the Kisses from the pit large
~ predominated at the close. Said one |
pitter quite systematically, Flashes,
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